Gala night promotes Vietnam-Korea friendship

NDO – Delegates gathered at a gala night, held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Hanoi on November 9, to mark the good friendship between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (ROK).

Hosted by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the "2018 Vietnam - Korea Friendship Night" attracted the participation of over 200 representatives from both Vietnamese and Korean government agencies and various sectors.

Prominent guests at the event were Ambassador of the ROK to Vietnam, Kim Do Hyon; Rector of the Academy of Journalism and Communication (AJC) and President of the KOICA Club, Assoc. Prof., Dr. Truong Ngoc Nam; Deputy Chief Judge of the Supreme People's Court, Nguyen Tri Tue; KOICA Country Director in Vietnam, Kim Jinoh; Vice President of Vietnam Women’s Union, Bui Thi Hoa; Director General of Foreign Investment Agency, Do Nhat Hoang; and President of Vietnam - Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Kum Dongwha.

Speaking at the event, Assoc., Prof. Dr. Truong Ngoc Nam said that the Vietnam - ROK relationship has a lot of potential for continuous development, in commensurate with the expectations of the leaders and people of both countries. The two sides share multiple similarities, which helps build an important foundation for boosting cultural understanding, economic cooperation and friendly relations.

In early 2018, the ROK President Moon Jae-in made a state visit to Vietnam, aiming to further promote the strategic partnership between the two nations. Currently, Vietnam and the ROK are important partners of each other. The ROK is one of the leading foreign investors in Vietnam with accumulated capital up to US$57.6 billion in 2017. Vietnam has more than 150,000 expatriates living and working in the ROK. In addition to formal diplomatic channels, people-to-people exchanges also play an important role in enhancing mutual understanding, contributing to lifting the Vietnam-Korean friendship to new heights, Dr. Nam affirmed.

As part of this cooperation, the KOICA Club is the link among the members who have participated in KOICA training programmes in the ROK. Dr. Nam stated that the club has attracted thousands of members from various organisations and sectors in Vietnam. It not only connects members but also promotes information sharing, cultural exchanges and friendship enhancement between Vietnam and the ROK.

Ambassador of the ROK to Vietnam, Kim Do Hyon, interviewed at the event. (Photo: Hong Hanh)

Ambassador Kim Do Hyon, said that the event is part of an effectively formed alliance between Vietnam and the ROK through the support of KOICA, which has helped to bring the two countries closer together. During the past 18 years, the "Vietnam-Korea Friendship Night" has become a symbol, helping to deepen cooperation and development between the two countries.

Praising the longstanding traditional friendship between Vietnam and the ROK, the diplomat emphasised that Vietnam is one of the countries with the longest cooperative relationship with KOICA. Almost all solutions and ideas of KOICA projects have originated from Vietnam.

With the links from the KOICA, Ambassador Kim Do Hyon expressed his country’s willingness to continue providing effective support to Vietnam, not only in the fields of non-refundable aid and industry, but also to support the efforts to turn Vietnam into one of the leading centres in Southeast Asia.

Delegates at the event. (Photo: Vu Van)

At the event, delegates shared the results of KOICA-supported joint projects with cooperation from both sides’ authorities, localities and partners. The annual year-end event has been organised by KOICA since 2000 to create an opportunity for KOICA's trainees and partners to meet and share experience on development projects as well as to celebrate their friendship.

In 2018, KOICA supported the training of 318 Vietnamese officials in the ROK through various programmes on strengthening capacity towards promoting sustainable growth. Two delegations from the AJC also joined training courses in the ROK, helping senior managers at press agencies and Vietnam’s media agencies to strengthen their capacity in public policy communication.